Secondary Predication

(Вторичная предикативность)

In every sentence there must be predication without which there would be no sentence. In a usual two-member sentence the predication is between the subject and the predicate. In most sentences this is the only predication they contain. However there are also sentences which contain one more predication that is not between the subject and the predicate of the sentence. This predication is called ‘secondary predication’. It is expressed by 1) the complex object: e.g. I saw him run; I found him ill; 2) subject; 3) gerundial complexes: I hate the idea of your going; 4) absolute constructions: Weather permitting, we all start on an excursion.

The Composite Sentence

A composite sentence is a sentence containing two or more subject-predicate relationships (predications), each forming a clause. There are two main types of composite sentences: compound sentences (слож-соч) and complex sentences (слож-подч). In a compound sentence clauses have equal rights, none of them is a part of the other, they are coordinated. In a complex sentence clauses are not equal, their functions are similar to those of the members of the sentence, i.e. one clause is grammatically dependent on the other, it is subordinated to it.

There are subject, predicative, object, attributive and adverbial subordinate clauses. Alongside with coordination and subordination there exists a third type of connection correlation, when clauses are mutually dependent. E.g. The more he knew, the more he desired to know.

Types and Means of Connection in a Composite Sentence

Clauses in a composite sentence may be linked in the following ways:

1) syndetically, i.e. by means of coordinate and subordinate conjunctions and connective words (adverbs and pronouns). It was very cold and the children stayed at home. I know that John lives here. I know where he lives. I know what he said.

The conjunctions ‘and, that’ are not members of the sentence. The connective words ‘where’ (a connective adverb) and ‘what’ (a connective pronoun) are parts of the subordinate clauses: ‘where’ is an adverbial of place, ‘what’ is an object.

2) asyndetically, i.e. without a conjunction or a connective word. It was very cold, the children stayed at home. I know John lives here.

The clauses (in the above-mentioned sentences) are joined by means of intonation. In writing, asyndetical coordination is marked by a comma, a semicolon, or a colon.

Word order as a Means of Subordination in English

Compare the following: Who is he? (A simple sentence, a direct question).

I know who he is. (A complex sentence).

The direct word order in the clause ‘who is he’ marks it as a subordinate object clause; the same rule is observed in sentences with asyndetic connection: Will he come soon? (a direct question). I know he will come soon (a subordinate object clause).

With some clauses the inverted word order (inversion) serves as a marker of subordination and is equivalent to a conjunction: Had he stayed a little longer yesterday, we should have finished the work. Compare: If he had stayed a little longer…

Sometimes inversion is used alongside of a conjunction. E.g. Inexperienced though he was, he had still a strong sense of the danger.